Does this raise any red flags?
09-06-2016, 12:01 AM
#17
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How about a clean looking S2? I can't believe this one hasn't sold yet.
http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Porsche/...rt_email_links
http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Porsche/...rt_email_links
[Though.. as I was reminded again today... pictures can be deceiving.
It does look gorgeous however.]Really want a late 951 but an S2 would be a close 2nd. I know they're more "driveable" but... boost is addicting!
At times when I've gotten frustrated with my 951 search however, there's been some nice S2s come along that I've considered. The ultimate would be to turbo an S2 but I just don't have those kind of resources.Maybe once I've owned a 951 for a while and gotten tired of the upkeep, I'll sell it for a nice comfortable S2.
Maybe.
09-17-2016, 10:55 PM
#18
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks again for all the responses and info! 
Very good, KVDR.
It is indeed an '89. Block: M44.52 / 47K15-something
[Incidentally, isn't venturi delete only 86-87 and Porsche essentially "factory-deleted" it on the later cars?]
As far as that aftermarket oil filter... yeah it recently had an oil change at a NAPA Xpress Lube with god-knows-what oil.
That is something I would have remedied immediately. Coolant tank was full... for whatever reason the coolant is very clear, not green, blue, pink, orange etc. At first I thought it was water, but it definitely had that glycol viscosity/feel/smell to it.
So I just got back from my all-day trip to inspect/drive the car. I essentially performed my own 'PPI', as I spent 2.5 hours crawling all over and under it (on a lift). Sadly, the engine bay turned out to be one of the nicer parts of the car, aesthetically-speaking. Fairly clean and tidy, a lot of what looked like rust in the pics was actually just dirt.
The rest of the car... yet another case of "they always look better in the pics".. For the asking price, I could have even looked past/dealt with the numerous cosmetic issues (too many to list), but here's why I ultimately walked away:
The Big Issues:
The Dubious, and Not So Big Issues
"Dubious" because ambiguous/unproven and I could also be really wrong.
Very good, KVDR.
It is indeed an '89. Block: M44.52 / 47K15-something[Incidentally, isn't venturi delete only 86-87 and Porsche essentially "factory-deleted" it on the later cars?]
As far as that aftermarket oil filter... yeah it recently had an oil change at a NAPA Xpress Lube with god-knows-what oil.
That is something I would have remedied immediately. Coolant tank was full... for whatever reason the coolant is very clear, not green, blue, pink, orange etc. At first I thought it was water, but it definitely had that glycol viscosity/feel/smell to it. So I just got back from my all-day trip to inspect/drive the car. I essentially performed my own 'PPI', as I spent 2.5 hours crawling all over and under it (on a lift). Sadly, the engine bay turned out to be one of the nicer parts of the car, aesthetically-speaking. Fairly clean and tidy, a lot of what looked like rust in the pics was actually just dirt.
The rest of the car... yet another case of "they always look better in the pics".
. For the asking price, I could have even looked past/dealt with the numerous cosmetic issues (too many to list), but here's why I ultimately walked away:The Big Issues:
- A small bit of oil smoke... wasn't terrible, but tends to not cure itself ($$). At cold startup, when revving, AND on decel. Probably tired rings AND valve guides/seals.
- A fairly significant engine oil leak from the front. Coating the belly pan and blowing back onto the DP. Since the belly pan was in place I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from, and I was on borrowed lift time in a shop I wasn't insured to be in, so I wasn't going to start disassembling stuff.
- Tappets sounding more "tap-tap-tappety" than I think they should.
- Advertised with "A/C", but dead (compressor doesn't engage). Belt OK, so could be R12 leaked, could be worse ($$)
- Sunroof dead. Switch/motor no worky. Could be a simple fuse, could be worse ($$)
- 2-3" crack in windshield spreading from rock chip. Also doesn't cure itself...quite the opposite ($).
- What sounded like a wheel bearing growl on the test drive. Definitely wheel speed/independent of gear, so not torque tube at least. Couldn't duplicate it on lift though (wheels unloaded though).
- Non-existent service history other than what I've mentioned. Clean Carfax but otherwise no documentation, no manuals, no nothing.
The Dubious, and Not So Big Issues
"Dubious" because ambiguous/unproven and I could also be really wrong.
- Didn't seem to be boosting correctly: (1) didn't really come on until 3500-4000... and especially with the LRBE I thought it should come on a lot sooner (2) Stock boost gauge was doing funny things. Like reading 0.4 bar or below most of the time (not just during vacuum) including when I expected it to be around 1... except when really on boost and then it jumps to ~2 bar.
- Lots of alternator whine, or maybe belts too tight. Noisy whine either way. Coupled with this though, the Volts gauge always read between 11-12 volts, but then the charging light wasn't on. I didn't think to bring a voltmeter to measure for myself and they didn't have one either, so who knows. [I didn't want to be on my road trip home and find out.]
- At times (e.g., partial throttle) just seemed not as smooth as it should be, and a few tiny stumbles. Maybe just needs a simple tuneup.
- Headlights get stuck halfway up and "need help" getting the rest of the way. Mechanism needs lube & adjust... how that poor motor must be suffering.
- Took the battery out... notable surface rust in the tray but no perforations, and I couldn't find any evidence of stains or dampness in the R footwell (especially after Hermine) so that's good. Should be addressed before it gets worse.
- I could not hear the after-run coolant pump for the turbo... there was a lot of ambient noise however so inconclusive.
- Front panel fit was a little suspect. Might have had an "oops" along the way that didn't make it onto the Carfax.
- Car has spent a lot of time outside as evidenced by faded carpets, dry seals, etc. Grungy inside and out and needs a good scrubbing top to bottom.
- Original paint (far as I can tell) but some significant chips & dings..
It hasn't sold as fast as the owner thought, which works in my favor to free up additional resources and create options.
Worst case scenario... even with the items noted above... If I had to put another $10-15K in this car to rebuild/repair all of its issues and make some of the improvements I'd like to make, I'd have a pretty dang nice car when I'm finished. And as opposed to having to shell out a big chunk of money for a well-sorted car all at once, I can spread out some of these upgrades/repairs over a couple of years. I didn't really want another car project (have several already), but what better way to learn about/find out exactly what I have.
At this point the only late cars I can afford are the ones around the 100Kmi mark and well-maintained but not necessarily rebuilt. Like this one, most are just a matter of years away from needing a respray anyway. Rebuilding the motor & turbo in this (if/when it comes to that) would effectively reset the clock.
I mean... it's an '89, FFS.
What to do, what to do...
Last edited by neunfünfeins; 09-17-2016 at 11:22 PM.
09-18-2016, 01:21 PM
#19
As far as the late boost and occasional stumble, probably just a vacuum leak. Oil leaking could be from the rear cam tower (easy fix), balance shaft housing, AOS, or oil pan gasket - they all kind of find their way to the belly pan. Oil pan gasket is not trivial only due to the labor to get there. But if you go that far, it certainly presents opportunities to do lots of while you're in there stuff.
If the dash is in good shape it indicates most time spent indoors or at least with a sunshade.
Would this car be your daily or fun car? You won't have fun sorting the car if you depend on it for transportation.
If the dash is in good shape it indicates most time spent indoors or at least with a sunshade.
Would this car be your daily or fun car? You won't have fun sorting the car if you depend on it for transportation.
09-18-2016, 11:03 PM
#20
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by raleighBahn
Oil leaking could be from the rear cam tower (easy fix), balance shaft housing, AOS, or oil pan gasket - they all kind of find their way to the belly pan. Oil pan gasket is not trivial only due to the labor to get there. But if you go that far, it certainly presents opportunities to do lots of while you're in there stuff.
I'm new to Porsches but not German cars... have been maintaining/restoring/building my own for nearly 30 years, have tools & equipment, etc. It's a little daunting mostly because it's a new car to me, but I think not beyond my skill set, and I'm eager to learn.
Originally Posted by raleighBahn
If the dash is in good shape it indicates most time spent indoors or at least with a sunshade.
Honestly a thorough detailing & mop would do wonders because of how filthy it is.
Originally Posted by raleighBahn
Would this car be your daily or fun car? You won't have fun sorting the car if you depend on it for transportation.
This would totally be a toy. So other than not being able to drive it, I wouldn't really mind the downtime. Also... Winter Is Coming. 
09-19-2016, 05:30 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
You mentioned interest in an S2 with a turbo motor. This ones been kicking around a bit. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-s2-turbo.html
Regards
Regards
09-19-2016, 08:46 PM
#22
That does look clean! Really far away from me though.
[Though.. as I was reminded again today... pictures can be deceiving. It does look gorgeous however.]
Really want a late 951 but an S2 would be a close 2nd. I know they're more "driveable" but... boost is addicting! At times when I've gotten frustrated with my 951 search however, there's been some nice S2s come along that I've considered. The ultimate would be to turbo an S2 but I just don't have those kind of resources.
Maybe once I've owned a 951 for a while and gotten tired of the upkeep, I'll sell it for a nice comfortable S2.
Maybe.
[Though.. as I was reminded again today... pictures can be deceiving.
It does look gorgeous however.]Really want a late 951 but an S2 would be a close 2nd. I know they're more "driveable" but... boost is addicting!
At times when I've gotten frustrated with my 951 search however, there's been some nice S2s come along that I've considered. The ultimate would be to turbo an S2 but I just don't have those kind of resources.Maybe once I've owned a 951 for a while and gotten tired of the upkeep, I'll sell it for a nice comfortable S2.
Maybe.
09-19-2016, 11:30 PM
#23
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You mentioned interest in an S2 with a turbo motor. This ones been kicking around a bit. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-s2-turbo.html
Regards
Regards
What I really meant was, to turbocharge a 3.0 16V S2 motor... it's been done but it's lots of customization and $$$. A turbo 3.0 8V is a bit more common and practical. Like most folks though, I think I'd be content with just a well-modded 2.5T.
09-19-2016, 11:33 PM
#24
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perfect then. You can absolutely do all that work and with great results and satisfaction. Nothing you have described is beyond two standard deviations from normal. Replumbing vacuum is easy, and while you're in there knock out AOS and a few seals. It's not your DD, so it won't matter if you forgot to order a seal from Pelican and have to wait a couple days. It will kick like a mule when you're done.
New isssue, now the wife isn't on board because she doesn't like the color, thinks it's boring... I can't disagree with her. So this is turning into a full color respray, and getting out of hand...
09-25-2016, 08:18 PM
#25
Racer
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So this is the car I ended up buying after all
Update to my previous big list of issues.
Now I don't really believe problems fix themselves, but a couple of items seem to have cleared up on their own that I can't quite explain.
Other good things:
The more I get to know this car, the more I think I did pretty okay on the purchase. The wife likes it now too, and I think we'll keep it the same color.
Now I don't really believe problems fix themselves, but a couple of items seem to have cleared up on their own that I can't quite explain.
- Charging system is working fine. When I went back, I took my multimeter and was reading 13.6 V across the battery while idling. The Voltmeter in the cluster now consistently reads above 12V.
- Boost is now behaving like I expected. I see it come up to ~1 bar around 2 grand, with partial throttle. It definitely didn't do that the first time I drove it, it was 0.4 bar until up around 3500.
Other good things:
- After-run turbo coolant pump is working like it should. Just couldn't hear it before with too much background noise.
- The "whine" is just balance shaft belt whine, maybe a little on the snug side.
- Seems to be running smoother with fewer stumbles. Again, maybe it just needed to be driven. Also I filled it up with 93, not sure what was in the tank previously.
The more I get to know this car, the more I think I did pretty okay on the purchase. The wife likes it now too, and I think we'll keep it the same color.